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At first ABC stonewalled critics on the subject of “Lost” news due to be announced tomorrow at Comicon. Critics, cranky on the second-to-last day of the press tour, pushed back. Finally, a PR person tiptoed onstage and whispered in the ear of ABC Entertainment boss Stephen McPherson. He relented and released the following less than earth-shaking news: Harold Perrineau, who plays Michael on “Lost,” will return to the series this season.

Meanwhile, “Harry Potter” audio book reader Jim Dale will serve as narrator for ABC’s promising “Pushing Daisies” for the run of the series. “Pushing Daisies” is being promoted by the network as “a forensic fairy tale” created by Bryan Fuller (“Dead Like Me,” “Heroes,” “Wonderfalls”). Director Barry Sonnenfeld (the “Men in Black” movies) said he appreciated the early buzz the show is getting, with some critics even calling the show “Burtonesque,” a reference to Tim Burton’s “Edward Scissorhands” and “Beetle Juice” in particular.

Joanne Ostrow has been watching TV since before "reality" required quotation marks. "Hill Street Blues" was life-changing. If Dickens, Twain or Agatha Christie were alive today, they'd be writing for television. And proud of it.